While open water swimmers accomplish the seemingly impossible in the water, it is often out of the water where they doubly shine as stars of society. Salvatore Cimmino, an amputee who has done numerous marathon swims across channels and lakes, is one such individual.
Salvatore Cimmino and Professor Hugh Herr of the Harvard-MIT Division of Health Sciences (shown below with Salvatore), and Technology Director of the Biomechatronics Group, and Professor Ken Goldman, Head of Industrial Liaison Program and Corporate Relations, met at MIT in Boston where the Italian disabled open water swimmer and the innovative entrepreneurial professors discussed the economic viability of providing prosthetic legs throughout the world.
When Salvatore returns to Boston in 2012 to swim in Boston Harbor as one stage of his Swimming in the seas of the Globe (A Nuoto nei Mari del Globo), a cooperative agreement will be signed. “My dream is that other major institutions will join the MIT and Selex Galileo and contribute with their competences which can determine a substantial improvement in the lives of disabled people and kick start a path of real integration.”
Salvatore’s supporters are growing and now include Intermatica, the Province of Rome, Stefano Testini and Vico Fabbris.
Southern California native, born 1962, is the creator of the WOWSA Awards, Oceans Seven, Openwaterpedia, Citrus Corps, World Open Water Swimming Association, Daily News of Open Water Swimming, Global Open Water Swimming Conference. He is Chief Executive Officer of KAATSU Global and KAATSU Research Institute. Inductee in the International Marathon Swimming Hall of Fame (Honor Swimmer, Class of 2001) and Ice Swimming Hall of Fame (Honor Contributor - Media, Class of 2019), recipient of the International Swimming Hall of Fame's Poseidon Award (2016), International Swimming Hall of Fame's Irving Davids-Captain Roger Wheeler Memorial Award (2010), USA Swimming's Glen S. Hummer Award (2007, 2010) and Harvard University's John B. Imrie Award (1984). Served on the FINA Technical Open Water Swimming Committee and as Technical Delegate with the 2011 Special Olympics World Summer Games, and 9-time USA Swimming coaching staff. Note: WOWSA only recommends products or services used or recommended by the community. WOWSA does not receive compensation for links or products mentioned on this site or in blog posts. If it does, it will be indicated clearly on that specific post. See WOWSA's privacy policy for more information.